In Red Wings Land

The education of Red Wings rookie Dennis Cholowski | ESPN

In a season that has featured a bumper crop of great rookie defensemen -- Miro Heiskanen of Dallas, Henri Jokiharju of Chicago, Maxime Lajoie of Ottawa and 2018 No. 1 overall pick Rasmus Dahlin of Buffalo among them -- Cholowski has been outstanding, even as his team has lingered near the bottom of the Eastern Conference. There is a real notion that the Red Wings might be looking at the start of a first-pairing defenseman’s career.

”[He’s] done a good job,” Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. “When he came into camp, we weren’t sure where he sat within our group of young defensemen. I would have said he was on the outside looking in. But he earned his way on the team.”

It’s pretty cool to see Dennis Cholowski getting some attention and praise from media outside of Detroit. The kid has been great this year and the future is bright.

Around the League

60 Years After Integrating the N.H.L., Willie O’Ree Heads to the Hall of Fame | New York Times

Willie O’Ree should’ve been in the Hockey Hall of Fame a long, long time ago.